This invention relates to a vertical mullion having a heat transfer medium flow passage for a building equipped with an air conditioning system.
In a building equipped with an air conditioning system, cooling and heating of the building interior are carried out by passing cool or warm water through a piping system. A problem encountered in implementing such cooling and heating is how to dispose or arrange the pipes, namely the passages through which the heat transfer medium, such as water, flows.
By way of example, in a building of the type having a curtain wall composed of vertical mullions and horizontal transoms, an air conditioning system can be constructed by providing the heat transfer medium flow passages interiorly of the vertical mullions or transoms. However, since a fastener for securing the curtain wall to the building is attached to the vertical mullions of the curtain wall, a problem arises concerning the positional relationship between the heat transfer medium flow passages and the fasteners. For example, if a flow passage is provided along the wall of a room interior, a problem will be encountered concerning the positions at which the fasteners are to be attached, and difficulty will be experienced in laying the water feed and drain pipes connected to the flow passages. In addition, heating and cooling efficiency is poor owing to the irregular temperature distribution of the heat radiating and absorbing surfaces of the vertical mullions. Problems are also encountered in extruding the profile for the vertical mullions.